There already exist a multitude of different electric appliances and, in particular, hand-held appliances, for a great variety of tasks in domestic and industrial contexts. In the home, one often finds multi-purpose kitchen appliances for processing food in a variety of different ways such as e.g. blending, kneading, grating, chopping, beating, mixing, whipping cream etc. Then there are the bathroom appliances such as e.g. manicure systems for doing fingernails and toenails, or for filing away patches of hard skin. There are also a variety of appliances for massaging parts of the body. In the industrial sector one finds an even greater number of systems and hand-held appliances for all kinds of different work.
Often, the usual practice is to use a special tool with its own electric motor for each particular task. These motors are often not powerful enough. No suitable multi-purpose appliance yet exists for dealing with all kinds of cleaning work, especially the type that involves contact with water or even immersion in water, such as e.g. the classic task of washing up dishes and cutlery. But food, too, such as fruits and vegetables, potatoes for instance, and salads are often washed in water, or at least rinsed under running water. And as a general rule, shoes are still cleaned at home with a handbrush. When the shoes or boots are heavily soiled, they are held under running water and cleaned with a handbrush. The same technique is used to clean all kinds of dirty objects, both in domestic and industrial environments. In hospitals, workshops, industrial units and many other locations, the cleaning of objects, devices and tools is a routine daily task. Very many cleaning tasks involving water are still done by hand. Cars are often cleaned by hand with a brush or a sponge, using a lot of water. Dirty garden implements or tools are cleaned by hand with a brush in water or under running water. In the shower, people wash themselves by hand under running water. Hence there are no end of washing and cleaning tasks that are executed with water and a brush or a sponge--but always by hand.